Where You Live and Your Socioeconomic Status Influences Postpartum Depression Rates Among Commercial Health Insurance Enrollees | AMCP 2024

High socioeconomic status (SES) of certain neighborhoods in the U.S. is linked to lower rates of postpartum depression (PPD) among people with commercial health insurance, according to a poster presented at the annual AMCP meeting hosted in New Orleans this week.

Onur Baser, M.A.,M.S., Ph.D., professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey, and adjunct professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and the Graduate School of Public Health at City University of New York (CUNY), is co-author of the poster titled, “Socioeconomic Status and Postpartum Depression Among Commercial Health Insurance Enrollees.”

Baser shared the interest in this study stemmed from the prevalence of PPD in adults, especially in women after giving birth.

PPD, a serious depressive episode occurring within one to 12 months post-childbirth, is a widespread psychological condition, he said.

While psychiatrists have long sought for solutions on this issue, expectant mothers developed hope following the FDA's approval of the first oral medication for PPD this year, he added.

Though there has been prior research on obstetrical and maternal complications, data on the influence of SES on PPD is lacking.

With a focus on identifying disparities and enhancing support for vulnerable groups, researchers from CUNY and Columbia Data Analytics conducted the study.

In the retrospective cohort study, researchers analyzed SES across U.S. zip codes by combining income, education and occupation data from the 2021 U.S. Census.

This data was then connected to national commercial health insurance claims between 2017 to 2023.

PPD status was determined by examining diagnosis codes and prescription drug usage during the first year after childbirth.

Multivariate analysis was used to adjust age, comorbidities, obstetrical and maternal complications, and lifestyle risks.

The prevalence of PPD in national commercial claims was 11.48%.Among patients with PPD within the 12 months after childbirth, 45% of the PPD events were in the first 3 months.

Patients with PPD had a higher rate of obstetrical and maternal complications and more lifestyle risk factors, including vitamin deficiencies, sleep disorders and smoking, data shared.

In addition, the SES score was significantly lower in patients with PPD than those without (4.87 vs 5.23).

Overall, data found that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with an increased incidence of PPD among commercially insured patients.

Baser noted that “effective efforts for preventing PPD may require interventions that focus on both the patient and the lived environment.”